Three Numbers

Chapter One: Caught

                           Chapter 1: Caught

Pandora’s POV

         “Bye guys!”

         “Bye, Pandora!  See you at school!”

         “See ya...” By then the two my friends had already run off to their car.  Why did it have to be raining?  I just sighed and started walking home.  About halfway, I saw a black cat walking down the street and I felt really bad for it so I bought a blanket from a little store and set it up in an alley with a box over it before calling the cat.  It didn’t hesitate to take shelter and I was so happy.

         At home, I went to my room silently, hoping not to wake up my mother; and my mission was a success… but only for an hour or so.  I heard the front door slam open and my father stumbled inside mumbling profanities and insults at no one really.  I heard my mother go down there and they started yelling as usual before coming up into my room; I didn’t say anything as they insulted me.  What could I say?  Insults turned to shoves and shoves turned to hits and kicks.  Still I didn’t say anything.  I was powerless to do anything…

         Finally they left and went to bed while I lied on my bed motionlessly.  After a few minutes I was able to curl up into a tight ball.  I don’t know for how long, but I know I cried myself to sleep…

         When I woke up, I took my shower and did everything else to get ready for school before leaving.  School was boring as usual.  I did my work perfectly but didn’t talk to anyone and soon I was walking home.  It was pouring rain again but oh well…

         “Hey girl.” I ignored the man driving slow next to me and just kept walking but he persisted.

         “Hey, don’t be rude,” he said, “at least say ‘hi’.”

         I still didn’t say anything and he cursed under his breath.  Suddenly the car stopped and I did the only thing I could think of: run.  There was no one at all around to witness this because I lived far and took backstreets.  As soon as I had sprinted a few steps, something hard hit me in the center of my back and I collapsed.  He threw a hammer at me!  It hurt and I wasn’t able to move for a moment.  When I tried getting up, a rag was pressed to my face and I panicked.  The shock of being hit in the back with a hammer had already caused me to lose my breath so I passed out quickly.

         When I came to, I was in the trunk of a car.  I almost started panicking but I knew I had to stay calm.  What to do…?  I didn’t have a cellphone so I couldn’t call for help.  Maybe I could find something in the trunk to help me.  I started feeling around and after several run-throughs I felt a slight raise in the fabric covering the sidewall.  I quickly tore at it and something small fell out.  I felt the object and found a ledge that I easily pulled up.  It was a phone!  As soon as I opened it, I found a message that said ‘don’t die like I did, use this to help you’. 

         Quickly, I dialed for the police but the phone wouldn’t let me as it kept canceling.  Eventually I gave up went to the phone’s contacts.  There were only three names: Adonis, Tanith, and Odin.  I didn’t know who they were but I was desperate, so I called Adonis.  After a few rings, the phone was finally picked up.

         “Hello?” Whoa… the voice of this person was so deep and smooth that I calmed down just hearing that one word.

         “Please help me,” I whispered.  The man paused for a moment.

         “What’s happened?” He asked.

         “I’ve been kidnapped.  I’m in the trunk of his car; I have no idea where we are and I-“

         “Shh, calm down.  Now… tell me your name.”

         “Pandora… Pandora Tellervo.”

         “That’s a very pretty name.” I knew he was trying to keep me calm by staying calm himself. “Where were you when he kidnapped you?”

         “I was walking home.  I was on… umm… Byer Street!  Walking north I think… I’m pretty sure… yeah, walking north on Byer Street.”

         “I’ll take care of this… I’ll just need to call my friend—“

         “No!  Please… don’t leave me.” I started crying then. “I don’t want to be alone... please.”

         “Alright, I’ll stay with you.  Shh, shh, calm down… Hey, let’s talk about you.  How old are you?’ 

         “S-Seventeen,” I sniffled.

         “When’s your birthday?” He asked.

         “April tenth.”

         “The tenth?  That’s in five days… Here let’s do this.  When we get you out of there, we’ll go to a really nice restaurant and I’ll buy you anything—dessert and all… agreed?”

         “Yeah…” Any hope was welcome right now.

         “But… tell me where you found this phone.”     

         “Part of the trunk had been dug out and the phone was shoved inside.  There was a message that said not to die and to use the phone for help.”

         “I see… Well, I can assure you that you will not die, ok, Pandora?  I am going to do everything in my power to get you out of there.”

         “Ok… Thank you… I think… he’s stopping the car.”

         “Pandora, you’re going to have to hang up.”

         “What if the phone dies before I can call again?”

         “It won’t… trust me.  You’ll find something.  I’m going to get to work.  Now, go live.” Right before he hung up, he said something to himself: She always carried whatever she would need.